


introduction

by Purple64



Series: A year in the life [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Gen, Implied Neglect, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Mentors, Mild Blood, Mild Language, No Incest, Tim Drake Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28510533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purple64/pseuds/Purple64
Summary: Jason is going to meet who he'll mentor for the year.It's not the best first impression.
Relationships: Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Series: A year in the life [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088438
Comments: 21
Kudos: 202





	introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Not really edited, forgive my mistakes.
> 
> I like the idea of Tim and Jason bonding with non-Bat related stuff.  
> I kinda want it to have a slice of life feel, this fic is kinda setting up of their relationship.

The dismissal bell rang and soon the halls of Gotham Academy were full of students. Most of the students were making their way to front doors, heading home to start their weekend.

Sadly, Jason wasn’t one of those lucky students.

Instead, he had to go to the cafeteria. Apparently, now that he was a high school student, he had to complete volunteer hours. The school wanted the students to give back to the community, plus it looked good on college applications.

He wanted to argue that he technically already did do countless hours of volunteer work. His contributions to the community as Robin should count and he was all for using Wayne Enterprises as a cover.

(Bruce already vetoed that idea.)

So he had to find an alternative and the mentor program was the only thing that was open at school. So far, the program wasn’t too bad. He liked the set up they arranged and the staff actually seem attentive to the students needs.

The high school volunteers were going to be paired up with middle school students for the year. They were kids that staff felt need some guidance and extra attention. The end goal was for the older student to learn responsibility and the younger to hopefully overcome their struggles.

The staff even told the mentors at times, the program was more about helping the parents of the younger students. Since most of the students they picked usually had trouble with grades or making friends. The program helped worried parents that their child would be back on the path for a successful future.

Today he would find out which kid he would be paired up with. For the last couple weeks, all they’ve been doing was hanging with the different students.

The staff left them alone for the most part, wanting to observe their interactions with the younger students. Then staff would pair off the mentors with the kids who connect best with them.

Jason had to admit; there were a few kids that he would not look forward to being paired off with. Some kids he hung out with were obviously here because they were spoiled brats. They thought too highly of themselves and reality hit when they realized their parents couldn’t pay off the school to get rid of bad grades.

Jason had no problem pointing out when they were being out of line and ripping them a new one.

(The staff may have had to break a few arguments between Jason and his mentee of the day.)

Jason made sure the staff knew he wasn’t solely the problem. He wanted to let them know he would not be a mentor half-heartily. The kids needed to know that he took no one’s shit and he would only help the willing. He wanted to mentor someone who was ready to make an effort.

Hopefully, whomever he got would be ready for some tough love.

He walked into the cafeteria and headed to the back were the staff were sitting. Some students were already there, sitting at tables with their final mentor. It looked like everyone was wearing nametags with matching stickers. It must have been how people knew how they got paired with.

He noticed some of the kids smirking as he passed by and had a bad feeling in his stomach. What did they give him one of the kids who liked to bring up how they were surprised that a street rat had good grades?

Jason saw the table with nametags and was confused to see his without a sticker attached. He picked it up and checked on the back just in case. But, there was no mistake. He had nothing.

Jason was confused. Did they forget to assign someone to him?

One of the staff, Jo, came from behind and asked to speak to him away from the group.

“Okay, Jason, you’re probably wondering what’s going on.”

“Well, yeah. Why am I the only one with without a sticker? That’s how your letting us know who we matched up with, right?” Jason tried to keep his voice level, and not wanting to show he felt sort of hurt. He crossed his arms and waited for the bullshit excuse.

Jo took note of Jason’s defensive pose and they tried to break the news gently.

“Well, I wanted to pull you aside to let you know, we have a different plan for you. You see… after observing the interactions you had with the younger students. We felt it was best that a few mentors double up-“

Jason snorted in disbelief, “Just say no one wanted to pair up with me.”

Jo gave Jason a strained smile, and put their hand on his shoulder as if would comfort him. Jason just shrugged it off. Jo looked uncertain how to reassure him and Jason just gestured his hand for Jo to continue.

“Just get to the part were you tell me I’m kicked out of the program already.”

“No, no! I didn’t mean that you’d be kicked out. We just didn’t pair you up with any of the kids here,” said Jo. “We got a last minute addition that we felt you would be perfect for.”

Jason felt his face heat up in anger. Was he not good enough for any of these entitled pricks? That they had bring in some random kid? His face must be reflecting his thoughts cause now Jo started to wrangle their hands together and started to talk with more urgency.

“The kid’s name is Timothy Drake. He’s in his first year of middle school and he just transferred here a week ago.”

Jason felt an itch in the back of his head. The last name sounded familiar, he must be one of the big names of the Gotham elite.

“We were told that he kept to himself a lot at his last school. We want to make sure he has a smooth transition into Gotham Academy and hopefully, this program will help him open up more.”

“Okay, and why am I the best pick?”

“Well, his situation is similar to you, transferring to a new school with no one familiar. All of the staff here is amazed at your progress since you started here a few years ago.”

“Yeah, with no help from anyone, I had to do it on my own.”

Jo looked guilty at that. Jason regretted saying that out loud, Jo was pretty cool so far. They didn’t deserve Jason being an ass cause he was hurt some of his stupid classmates hated him.

It didn’t even matter what they thought, he couldn’t let them get to him. Plus it looked like a kid needed Jason Todd’s help for once and not Robin’s.

“Oh Jason, if I knew-.” Jo started and looked like they wanted to reach out again. Now Jason started to feel really bad. Time to make it right.

“Look, that was then, this is now. Show me where the kid is.” Jason gave a small grin to show he held no blame. Jo just sighed and led him to a table in the far corner.

There sat a kid, sitting on the edge of his seat, with his feet on top of skateboard. He was rolling it back and forth looking bored out of his mind. Clearly, he wanted to be here.

  
Jo put on a big smile and called out to Tim. “Hi Tim, let me introduce you to your mentor. This is Jason Todd.”

Tim turned his head around so fast Jason was surprise it didn’t snap off his neck. The kid’s eyes seem to widen bigger and bigger as they got closer.

Okay, the kid definitely knew who he was, now who was he? Jason’s brain itched at him again and he remembered why he knew the Drakes.

They were that one couple that always ditched their kid during galas and made him wait in the corner until they were ready to leave. Jason thought that was kind of sad, but he was always counting down the minutes until he was allowed to slip out for patrol to really pay attention to the kid.

They recently moved nearby as well now that he thinks about it. He thinks he saw some moving vans by the house near the manor last month and Alfred mentioning something to Bruce about it belonging to the Drakes.

He knows at the last gala held in the manor, Alfred made sure to constantly bring trays of food Tim’s way. He remembered Bruce frowning at the Drake couple when he saw how they brushed off their son. They must have started to keep an eye out on the kid.

Jason thinks he might have his work cut out for him if Bruce and Alfred were already showing concern for the kid.

Tim stood up quickly and thrust out his hand for a handshake.

“Hi, Jason. I’m, uh Tim Drak-.” Tim stammered, practically yelling.

The thing is, the kid forgot he had his feet on the skateboard. The board rolled out from under him and Tim fell forward, with his hand still out. So he didn’t catch himself as he hit the ground. The poor kid smashed his face on to the floor.

Jo yelped in alarm, and Jason rushed to Tim’s side.

Tim lifted himself up and blood was gushing from his nose. Jo ran towards the other staff yelling about a first aid kit. The other kids in the room were either laughing or taking pictures on their phones.

Jason helped Tim up and the kid just gave him a shy smile.

“Uh…nice to meet you…?”

Yup, Jason was gonna have a long year.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think!  
> I think this au will be just random moments of them bonding.
> 
> Happy 2021!!


End file.
